Creating .x objects
 

Seeing that SEV is coming, I'm looking at my lovely green ships and thinking "Man, that'd look good in there". Now I don't quite own any great 3D programs, and don't know much about .x files.

I know there are a couple articles, but I want a communal answer as to how to create the dreaded .x files?

Should I dish out the money to get some 3d-max-esque program?

Re: Creating .x objects
 

Make a ship in wings3d (Free). Save it as 3ds. Load the 3ds into milkshape ($40), texture. Save as .x.

Re: Creating .x objects
 

If you do buy 3d max, John Beech has a great tutorial site.
You will have to ask him for permission to view the site though.

I plan to do it on the cheap... by using DOGA.

I create the model in DOGA, export it to Meta, then clean it up, create a UV Map, then save it as an X file. My only problem is texturing the model.

I have a nice UV map of the model, with all the parts, that does not really help me, but it does give me a BMP to work with.

Once I learn how to layer the BMP, I hope to make some nice Textured skins for models.

Re: Creating .x objects
 

Or:
Make a ship (and texture it) in Art of Illusion (free, www.artofillusion.org).
Export directly to .X using my .X exporter plugin (http://kolis.dyndns.org/ed/prog/exportX/exportX-1.1.zip)
Note that if you use procedural 3D textures, the model won't look all that great (you will have lots of ugly seams)... I'll have to work on fixing that! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

Re: Creating .x objects
 

Downloading the AOI program is a real ***** though.... must go through several web pages to get. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/frown.gif

Re: Creating .x objects
 

Try Blender, its free, powerful, has built in texturing tools(you can use lithunwrap too if you want), a large helpful community, its easy to download, easy(but different) to use and exports to .x . Once you realize that everything you need to do can be done with hotkeys it's pretty simple.

Re: Creating .x objects
 

If you're on a budget and want a fairly easy learning curve, you might want to try DoGA CGA as a designer and Metasequoia LE as the model tweaking tool.

I recently wrote up a three part tutorial that walks you through nearly everything you need to do to create models for SEV/StarFury.

http://zircher.iwarp.com/doga
--
TAZ

Re: Creating .x objects
 

Well, i'm coming from a background of using Moray, which is somewhat advanced. Doga... I've heard that its relative simplistic. I do want some good quality, but I'll look into that. Thanks.

Re: Creating .x objects
 

Make sure to check out that Art of Illusion that Ekolis mentioned.

Re: Creating .x objects
 

Well, my .X plugin still has some bugs to fix, at least if you want to use 3D textures... I'll have to get around to finishing those off sometime - I've fixed a few but it seems there are still more to deal with http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/frown.gif